DE-T1 Research Receives Funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (国自然）
Four-year research project to investigate how dandelion extract DE-T1 may influence age-related oocyte quality and fertility
SHAWKEA UK is pleased to share a significant development in the continuing scientific research surrounding DE-T1.
A research project examining dandelion extract DE-T1 in relation to age-related oocyte quality has officially received funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC).
The approved project is titled “Mechanistic Study of Dandelion Extract DE-T1 in Improving Oocyte Quality and Fertility in Aged Mice.” It has been assigned NSFC Grant No. 82660358 and will run for four years, from January 2027 to December 2030, with RMB 330,000 in direct research funding. The project will be conducted through Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, with Yang Sufang (杨素芳) as Principal Investigator.
The Scientific Importance of Oocyte Quality
As women age, changes in oocyte quality can affect fertilisation and subsequent embryo development. Understanding the biological processes behind these age-related changes is therefore an important area of reproductive research.
The newly funded study will use an aged-mouse model to explore how DE-T1 may influence oocyte quality and reproductive function during ageing.
Rather than beginning from an entirely new hypothesis, the project builds upon existing preliminary work on DE-T1 that was specifically discussed during the NSFC expert review process.
What Has Previous DE-T1 Research Shown?
One expert reviewer noted preliminary findings indicating that DE-T1 could delay the decline of follicular reserve and reverse cytoskeletal defects and mitochondrial dysfunction in ageing oocytes, alongside improvements in oocyte maturation quality and fertility in aged mice.
The same assessment described the project as having good innovation and scientific value and considered the applicant’s preliminary research foundation to be relatively solid.
批准通知书_82660358.pdf
A second reviewer focused on the broader reproductive significance of this work. The assessment highlighted declining oocyte quality with increasing maternal age as an important reproductive-health issue because of its impact on fertilisation and embryo development.
This reviewer also considered the project innovative and stated that its findings could provide a theoretical basis for improving ageing-related oocyte quality and exploring new intervention strategies.
批准通知书_82660358.pdf
A third expert assessment described this area of research as having clear scientific significance and prospects for clinical application, while also recognising the innovative nature of research involving DE-T1 in this field.
批准通知书_82660358.pdf
Investigating How DE-T1 Works
An important aim of the new project is to move beyond observing potential effects and investigate the biological mechanisms that may underlie them.
The proposed research combines animal phenotype and functional validation with methods including metabolomics sequencing and molecular docking, which will be used to investigate functional components and potential molecular targets.
批准通知书_82660358.pdf
The expert review process also identified areas that could strengthen the research further. Recommendations included investigating cytoskeletal protein expression and chromosomal aneuploidy, as well as developing a more focused understanding of the molecular pathways involved.
批准通知书_82660358.pdf
Together, these approaches may help researchers understand not only whether DE-T1 influences age-related changes in oocytes, but also how such effects occur at cellular and molecular levels.
A New Stage in DE-T1 Research
For SHAWKEA UK, we are delighted to see the scientific investigation surrounding DE-T1 continue to progress.
The NSFC-funded project creates an opportunity for a further four years of mechanistic research into DE-T1 and areas including oocyte ageing, follicular reserve, mitochondrial function, oocyte maturation, embryo development and reproductive outcomes in an aged-mouse model.
It represents an important next step towards developing a deeper scientific understanding of DE-T1.
We look forward to following the project as it progresses and sharing future scientific developments as they become available.
Research Project Information
Project: Mechanistic Study of Dandelion Extract DE-T1 in Improving Oocyte Quality and Fertility in Aged Mice
NSFC Grant Number: 82660358
Principal Investigator: Yang Sufang (杨素芳)
Host Institution: Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine
Funding Category: Regional Science Fund Project
Research Period: January 2027 – December 2030
Direct Research Funding: RMB 330,000
批准通知书_82660358.pdf
Scientific note: The NSFC award provides funding for the above research project and should not be interpreted as regulatory approval or endorsement of a commercial product. The funded project primarily investigates DE-T1 in an aged-mouse model; findings from animal research cannot be assumed to demonstrate clinical efficacy in humans.
科研进展｜蒲公英提取物DE-T1相关研究获国家自然科学基金资助
四年科研项目将进一步探索DE-T1改善老化卵母细胞质量及生育力的作用机制
SHAWKEA UK很高兴与大家分享一项关于蒲公英提取物DE-T1科学研究的重要进展。
围绕DE-T1与年龄相关卵母细胞质量及生育力的研究项目，已正式获得国家自然科学基金（National Natural Science Foundation of China, NSFC）资助。
获批项目名称为：
《蒲公英提取物DE-T1改善卵子质量提高老化小鼠生育力的机制研究》
项目批准号为 82660358，研究周期为2027年1月至2030年12月，直接研究经费为33万元人民币。项目负责人为杨素芳，依托单位为广西中医药大学。
为什么关注卵母细胞质量？
随着女性年龄增长，卵母细胞质量下降是生殖健康研究中的重要课题之一，并可能进一步影响受精及胚胎发育。
此次获批项目将以老龄小鼠模型为基础，进一步研究DE-T1对老化相关卵母细胞质量及生育力的影响，并深入探索其背后的作用机制。
值得关注的是，该项目并非从零开始，而是建立在已有的DE-T1前期研究基础之上。这些前期研究也获得了国家自然科学基金项目评审专家的关注。
DE-T1前期研究发现了什么？
在项目评审意见中，一位专家指出，申请人的前期研究结果显示，蒲公英提取物DE-T1能够延缓卵泡储备衰减，逆转老化卵母细胞的细胞骨架缺陷与线粒体功能障碍，从而改善卵母细胞成熟质量，并提高老龄小鼠生育力。
该专家同时认为，项目具有较好的创新性和科学价值，并指出项目前期研究基础较为扎实。
批准通知书_82660358.pdf
另一位评审专家从生殖健康角度进一步指出，高龄女性卵母细胞质量下降会直接影响受精与胚胎发育，因此探索改善卵母细胞质量的干预策略具有重要意义。
该评审意见认为，本项目具有较好的创新性，其研究成果有望为改善老化卵母细胞质量及探索新型干预策略提供理论依据。
批准通知书_82660358.pdf
第三位评审专家则指出，本课题聚焦于提升高龄女性生育力相关研究领域，具有鲜明的科学意义及临床应用前景，并认为蒲公英提取物DE-T1在相关领域的研究具有较好的创新性。
批准通知书_82660358.pdf
从“观察到效果”到探索作用机制
此次获得资助的研究，一个重要方向是进一步探索DE-T1产生相关生物学作用的具体机制。
根据专家评审意见，该研究内容包括动物表型及功能验证，同时结合代谢组测序、分子对接等研究方法，进一步解析植物成分中的功能组分及潜在作用靶点。
批准通知书_82660358.pdf
专家同时对后续研究提出了进一步建议，包括增加细胞骨架蛋白表达检测、染色体非整倍体率等相关指标，并建议在多组学筛选的基础上进一步聚焦具体分子通路，从而提升机制研究的深度。
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这意味着未来的研究不仅关注DE-T1是否可能对老化卵母细胞产生影响，也将进一步尝试回答一个更加重要的问题：
DE-T1可能通过怎样的细胞及分子机制产生这些作用？
DE-T1科研进入新的阶段
对于SHAWKEA UK而言，我们非常高兴看到围绕DE-T1的科学研究持续向前发展。
此次国家自然科学基金项目的获批，将支持未来四年围绕DE-T1开展进一步的机制研究，涉及卵巢储备、卵母细胞老化、线粒体功能、卵母细胞成熟、胚胎发育及生育结局等多个研究方向。
这不仅是DE-T1科研进程中的一个重要里程碑，也为进一步理解其潜在生物学机制提供了新的研究基础。
随着项目于2027年正式进入研究周期，我们也将持续关注相关科研进展，并与大家分享未来的重要研究成果。
项目信息
项目名称： 蒲公英提取物DE-T1改善卵子质量提高老化小鼠生育力的机制研究
项目批准号： 82660358
项目负责人： 杨素芳
依托单位： 广西中医药大学
资助类别： 地区科学基金项目
研究周期： 2027年1月—2030年12月
直接费用： 33万元人民币
批准通知书_82660358.pdf
科学说明：国家自然科学基金对上述科研项目的资助，代表该研究项目获得科研经费支持，并不等同于对任何商业产品的监管批准或功效认证。本项目主要基于老龄小鼠模型开展机制研究，动物研究结果不能直接等同于人体临床疗效。